Ditzy ruffles her fur up and lets out an aggressive squeak.
How dare you intrude upon my domain uninvited filthy knave! The audacity!
As Zokon is running as best he can he places his bow away and then draws his sword if he has time.. he follows Balzeros
The badger advances warily.
Fergus stabs at it with his branch, missing it and impaling a stack of last year's leaves.
Nearby the rest of tha party hears the exchange.
Round 1! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Durgan
__ Serena
__ Illthir
__ Fergus/Ditzy
__ Badger
Balzeros races up the stair and Zokon and Alia follow after.
Once there Balzeros's light shines upon a frightened-looking Erevenywg, and something big, and dark and shaggy just off to the side of the door. He can clearly see that it is just the remains of long dead bear. Scanning the wall though he also spies a great charcoal-colored worg staring out at the both of them from a break in the wall. It stands in a crouch ready to pounce.
"Why is there a badger here? What do you think it wants? Leftovers?"
Durgan will happily give scraps to the animal.
"Fergus, do you not recall that the badger is the sacred animal of Torag? This could be a sign."
Serena gets up to see what the commotion is about. Upon seeing the badger, she stifles a laugh. "Who's your friend?" she queries Fergus.
Fergus shifts his grip on his poker, still staring at the intruder, finally he stands up straight dismisses it with a wave of his hand.
When it eats the supplies we have. Don't complain to me. He says walking away grumbling.
Ditzy gives Durgan a... well, you aren't sure how but you swear its a look of both astonishment, hurt, and sheer incomprehension and shock.
You would give this wild, filthy beast the table scraps so freely, yet not offer me. ME! The Fabulously furred friend. The Fantastic Familiar? The Floofed Fluff! So much as a nibble! The betrayal!
Round 1! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Balzeros
__ Worg
__ Zokon
__ Alia
__ Erevenywg
Hearing there's a badger Illthir grabs her bardiche just to be sure. Hopefully it would be content with their scraps - but she didn't want it nibbling on anything or anyone else.
"Mm. I don't suppose the omen could appear a bit further from our horses? See if you can't bait it away from them a bit .." the skald makes an attempt at backseat-feeding the badger.
Alia arrives at the top of the tower:"Erevenywg! What happened! Tell me! Where is Ilvah!"
Taking passing note of the dead bear - the smell of which suggested it was long-dead - she focuses on the Worg:"You! Where is the Girl! If you hurt her you will come to regret your very existence!"
"Erevenywg, watch out!" Balzeros says as he raises his shield and rushes through a spell before forcing himself forward. Despite his brave words, his hands are shaking. he screams. Rushing a Worg, the hell am I thinking?!
________
Meanwhile, far away... Durgan is relatively unconcerned.
"I am pretty sure that badgers do not eat horses."
He feeds the animal some leftovers from dinner, but does try to lure it away from the horses at Illthir's request.
Balzeros, his expression suddenly wooden, rushes toward the worg.
"Another lamb joins us for dinner." says the big worg in a growl made to sound like the Common tongue. Then it leaps from the gap and into the open, smiling a wolfish smile full of sharp fangs and sly intent, as it hears the others approaching.
"And yet more lambs to our sup." the worg says licking its chops. It turns to Balzeros and smiles again. "You spoil me for choice, woodsman."
Alia arrives at the top of the tower:"Erevenywg! What happened! Tell me! Where is Ilvah!"
Taking passing note of the dead bear - the smell of which suggested it was long-dead - she focuses on the Worg:"You! Where is the Girl! If you hurt her you will come to regret your very existence!"
"Do you mean Ill-vah? I lost track of her in the forest." says Erevenywg, flustered.
Round 1! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Balzeros
__ Worg readied
__ Zokon
__ Alia
__ Erevenywg readied
Exasperated Fergus throws up his hands and leaves the intruder to the others.
Illthir presents her bardiche to the waddling beast. It stops, sniffs and takes a nibble at the pole-arm's steel axe-head, and appears disappointed that it doesn't taste better. It moves past the and toward the bard, looking past her and to the food Durgan is gathering for it.
Round 2! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Durgan
__ Serena
__ Illthir
__ Fergus/Ditzy
__ Badger
Zokon double moves up sword and buckler out
"Why is it talking to us in such a hostile manner but not attacking, that seems stupid? Keep an eye out for traps?"
Zokon looks up and around for other dangers. (when he can)
"Well I hope the badger and horses think that too!" Illthir replies and get out of the small critters path. She didn't *mind* it per se but she liked her feet and the horses much more. But there were no harm in letting Durgan feed it (hopefully).
Serena laughs heartily at the badger's antics, watching Durgan feed the creature.
Durgan feeds the little omnivore bits of his rations and the party members return to their business.
The horses begin to grow excited again and a tall man with a white-grey beard hanging down to belt and wearing well-traveled robes appears among them, as silent as a zephyr.
"Pardon me." he says "Have you seen a badger wander through here?"
The worg gives a swift stuttering howl and bears its teeth.
Round 3ish! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Zokon
__ Alia
__ Erevenywg
__ Balzeros
__ Worg readied
"Erevenywg, get out! I'll slow it down!" Balzeros says, conjuring a quarterstaff made of force. Wasting no time, it immediately begins to wallop the Worg.
________
"Pardon me." he says "Have you seen a badger wander through here?"
"Yes, here he is. Yours?"
"Mine? Of course he's not mine he's his own badger. I'm insulted that you would even suggest such a thing." the man snaps. The ferocity of his reaction is enough to even grab the badger's attention away from Durgan's food.
The sudden appearance of the ghostly stave takes the wolf by surprise. Maddened the worg lunges at the closest target--Erevenywg. Grabbing her by the leg the worg pulls her to the gound.
Round Let's call it 4! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Zokon
__ Alia
__ Erevenywg -10 hp, prone
__ Balzeros
__ Worg -9 hp
"To the Southeast at the stone steps there is movement and the south west, I will monitor the outside, you save Erevenywg." He stays at the top of the stairs and keeps watch, ready to spring to help if needed.
"Mine? Of course he's not mine he's his own badger. I'm insulted that you would even suggest such a thing." the man snaps. The ferocity of his reaction is enough to even grab the badger's attention away from Durgan's food.
Durgan rolls his eyes.
"Here he is."
"To the Southeast at the stone steps there is movement and the south west, I will monitor the outside, you save Erevenywg." He stays at the top of the stairs and keeps watch, ready to spring to help if needed.
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"Mine? Of course he's not mine he's his own badger. I'm insulted that you would even suggest such a thing." the man snaps. The ferocity of his reaction is enough to even grab the badger's attention away from Durgan's food.Durgan rolls his eyes.
"Here he is."
"Wigglin. There you are."
The badger barks and chatters up to the tall, old man.
The man angrily rounds upon Fergus. "'POKED YOU WITH A STICK'!?"
"Ouch. Tattled by a badger." Illthir giggled and found some place to sit, out of biting distance of either their guests. Odd, a bit amusing. Maybe but hopefully not dangerous. But might make a good story! "He didn't mean any harm; it was just his territorial display."
If she could, she'd like to try and figure out if the man was always this grumpy - or if something was extra sore right now. Hopefully he'd stay and chat a little.
"I've made it worse, hurry!" Balzeros calls as Erevenywg gets thrown to the ground. Getting in close, he tries to harry the Worg with his own staff as the force-staff takes a strike of its own.
________
Delaying
"Serena Mistcastle," Serena introduces herself and offers a hand. "Well met. What brings you and your companion here, if I may be so bold?"
Pointed. If I had poked him he'd be bleeding. Besides, he was frightening the horses and causing Ditzy to get agitated so I attempted to run him off. Fergus answers, still sitting with his spell book open.
Ditzy pokes her head up on Fergus's shoulder and just stares at the newcomer. Clearly placing her malcontent with the badger onto its "not owner".
"Serena Mistcastle," Serena introduces herself and offers a hand. "Well met. What brings you and your companion here, if I may be so bold?"
"Noah Medwyn. These lands are my home. I am at present traveling south and was just catching up with my friend this afternoon when someone erected a tent over his burrow." he says disapprovingly, and points at Zokon's tent.
Pointed. If I had poked him he'd be bleeding. Besides, he was frightening the horses and causing Ditzy to get agitated so I attempted to run him off. Fergus answers, still sitting with his spell book open.
"Are you calling Wigglin a liar?" Noah says growing redder. "Perhaps I should question the witnesses?"
The tall man turns and strides back into the clearing with the horses. The badger follows casting a suspicious eye back toward the party every now and then. Noah's eyes linger upon the horses' ropes.
Balzeros continues whacking at the wolf with his phantom stave while helping to physically fend the worg off.
Erevenywg attempts to rise. The worg uses the opportunity to bite her again, but the magic, floating stave bars it from pulling her back down, and she retreats to the doorway.
Round Let's call it 4! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Zokon
__ Alia
__ Erevenywg -24 hp
__ Balzeros
__ Worg -17 hp
"Durgan Far-Walker. Priest of Abadar."
Durgan sees the man eyeing the horses' ropes. He positions himself between Noah and the horses.
"Wigglin may belong to nobody, but we own these horses. They are our property."
Serena bit her lip. She had never considered her mount as property. Alphonsus was more like a friend to her than something to be used and discarded when it was used up. "We weren't aware that we were intruding," she says to Noah, looking at the badger. "I don't think that Zokon would mind if we moved his tent a little to one side."
"Hmm. Yeah, I suppose we better move Zokon's tent then ... Apologize for that, it was not intent to block your friends burrow." Illthir gives Serena a hand in moving the tent. Soon. As soon as the crazy hermit wasn't stirring up more trouble.
Perhaps changing the topic would work? Talking about horses surely wouldn't bring them closer together! "So, ah, we couldn't help but notice that there seems to be plenty of Worgs in your home ..?"
Zokon moves to leap over the bear to the flank the Worg with Balzeros and he strikes
Go ahead. Ask the horses. He answers with a dismissive wave of his hand.
The worg growls and barks at Zokon as he rushes forward. It howls in pain at the lightning thrust of his blade.
Round Let's call it 4! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Zokon
__ Alia
__ Erevenywg -24 hp
__ Balzeros
__ Worg -35 hp
Durgan sees the man eyeing the horses' ropes. He positions himself between Noah and the horses.
"Wigglin may belong to nobody, but we own these horses. They are our property."
Go ahead. Ask the horses. He answers with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"I shall...." Medwyn says coolly, ignoring Illthir's question.
"Rude. At least be courteous to the horses. Walter likes pranks ..." Illthir wondered if she wanted Walker to step on Noah's foot or if that was actually considered a sigh of affection. Maybe she'd actually get to ask?
Alia casts a Spell, then moves into the Melee as well, attempting to touch the worg:"If this thing knows anything about Ilvah, I want to learn it. Try not to kill it if at all possible!"
Balzeros continues whacking at the wolf with his phantom stave while helping to physically fend the worg off.
Alia reaches in to touch the worg, but the the worg spins on her, clamps it's jaws around her wrist and drags her to the ground.
Round 5 (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Zokon
__ Alia -15 hp, prone
__ Erevenywg -24 hp
__ Balzeros
__ Worg -17 hp
The old man quietly converses with the horses, who seem stamp, neigh and wicker back in a way that almost seems understandable. While speaking with Walker he barks out a deep laugh. Smiling he and the horse look round at Illthir. After making a circuit of the clearing he gives each an apple that he pulls from his haversack, and pulls a pebble from Durgan's mount's shoe.
He says to Illthir. "You've seen worgs." It's not a question.
"THERE ARE MORE OF THEM OUTSIDE!" cries Erevenywg pointing.
Oh that's a turn for the better. That's nice. "Yes. Yesterday we met a bunch trying to relieve a shepherd of his sheep. And... A few weeks ago we ran into a bunch of them together with troll friends - but that was quite a while away." The skald hadn't thought about those two together, but it certainly didn't sound like a good thing. "You've heard or seen anything about them? Or, for that matter; trolls?"